Duckworth vs. Kirk | Pence vs. Kaine | CPD body cams

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth and Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk clashed yesterday in their first debate, where subjects ranged from economic and tax policy to personal temperament and America's role in the world.

Crain's Greg Hinz writes that Kirk, who's fighting to retain his seat while recovering from a severe stroke, held himself out as "the glue of the Senate," someone who can work with both GOP leaders and Democrats while winning backing from gay rights and gun control groups.

Scenes from the debate

Duckworth went after Kirk during the debate, criticizing his judgment on national security issues and his "endless" controversial statements. Kirk spoke far less than Duckworth and rarely challenged her, the AP reports.

Kirk afterward sought to blame his low-key demeanor on the Tribune editorial board member who moderated the debate.

"The chairwoman, she pretty much left the mic open for my opponent there," Kirk said, according to the Tribune. "And in debating Tammy, I let the chair really run the show."

But, the Tribune writes, the microphone "was left open for both candidates during the forum."

LOL Illinois has message for Springfield

Who's behind a wave of online ads and billboards that have started popping up under the name LOL Illinois?

"We created this campaign to give Illinois citizens, no matter their politics, the opportunity to visibly demonstrate their concerns and frustrations over the failed leadership in our state," committee President Ty Fahner said in a statement.

We want a budget as much as any Illinoisan, but OMG, who are they trying to reach with teen-oriented Internet slang?

Chicago's spending millions on a no-bid contract for its body camera program despite little evidence that the cameras curb police misconduct, the Chicago Reporter writes.

The city avoided competitive bidding in its contract, which could cost taxpayers over $30 million for the technology, according to the Reporter's Jonah Newman.

"Those millions will be spent on a product for which there is still little research supporting its effectiveness in curbing police misconduct, despite increased interest in body camera programs across the country," Newman reports.

Chamber blasts aldermen in rare public rebuke

One way to get the attention of a supposedly business-friendly mayor? Undermine support from his usually compliant City Council.

One of the city's top business groups launched a direct attack on a pair of aldermen who the group says continue to back tax hikes that hurt business and the city's job climate.

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to nearly 2,000 businesses in the Northwest Side's 1st and 35th wards asking them to contact their aldermen and "unite" against the tax hikes.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation removing statutes of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in response to the case against former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

The Tribune writes that "in the Hastert case, federal prosecutors cited the expired statute of limitations as the reason they prosecuted him on banking law violation charges rather than for inappropriately touching several underage boys, including Cross, decades ago."

Lots of CPS news, and it isn't even Wednesday

Chicago Public Schools yesterday announced the layoff of about 250 teachers and staff members, citing a steeper-than-expected decline in enrollment.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Teachers Union is slamming CPS' top attorney for supervising the work his former law firm did for the district earlier this year, the Sun-Times reports.

All this comes after a weekend story from the Wall Street Journal, which reported that JPMorgan Chase and Chicago-based Nuveen made $110 million in profit on $763 million in CPS bonds.

The Journal hints, but doesn't state explicitly, that CPS should have sought other investors earlier this year instead of handing the bond deal to Chase at a substantial premium.

“I love Tom's take on all the ridiculous shenanigans going on in politics,” says Sheila, a regular reader. “Our political environment is so absurd and infuriating these days that I can't wait for Nov. 9.”

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